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(No Model.)

F. E. WILLIAMS. LINK BUTTON.

No. 470,731. A Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. WILLIAMS, OF N E\V YORK, N. Y.

LINK-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,731, dated March 15, 1892. Application filed April 2, 1891. SerialNo. 387,356. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. VVILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Link-Buttons or Studs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

M yinvention relates to link-buttons or studs adapted for use with cuffs, &c.; and it consists in constructing one or both of said buttons or studs with a lap or separating-shank for engagement by an intermediate connecting-link of preferred form, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth. I

The object of the invention is to providea device of this character which will be convenient of application and removal without injury to the button-hole and unnecessary loss of time in connecting'the parts, and embodying a simple construction and effective operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one form of link-button embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the form of device shown by Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view of another form of the device. Fig. 4 represents a bottom plan view of one of the heads of the device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a section on the line m a: of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a section similar to Fig. 5, showing a slight change of construction.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the heads, B the shanks, and O the connectinglink, which is closed and adapted to be attached to and detached from the parts.

The heads A may be of any preferred form, design, or construction, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one part of one of the shanks B is passed through an opening in the back plate A thereof to form a bearing, said shank being continued from said back plate to form a spring-lap or separating ring or loop, having a projecting tongue 0, adapted to be engaged to open the same for insertion of one end of the connecting-link O. In the remaining figures one end of the ring or loop shank The movable upper end of the shank is formed with a foot 0, having ears 0 projecting laterally therefrom, which rest in the guarded seat hereinbefore set forth. The under side of said foot 0 rests normally on the plate A over the opening or slot a, and the top thereof, which is parallel with the said underside,

bears against the spring-plate A The one end of said foot is formed with a bevel c at such an angle as to limit the opening of the said movable part of shank, and allow the same to automatically close against the stationary portion thereof when the tongue 0 is disengaged. This automatic closing of said movable partof shankis accomplished through the tension of the platesA and A on the said foot 0. The opposite end 0 of said foot is in line or nearly in line with the movable portion of the shank to which it is secured, so that when the said movable portion is opened it will have unobstructed free movement in either direction. The plate A will be arranged at such a distance from plate A as to insure a spring-tension on the foot to automatically return the same to its closed position, and normally the said plate A will bear against the upper side of the foot 0 and provide a resilient resistance to the movement thereof to obtain the automatic movement referred to. The said foot is longer than it is wide to accomplish the result set forth. The tongue 0 is employed in this instance in connection with the movable part of shank, and is engaged to open the same for connection of the link, after which it is automatically snapped back and the parts are thereby securely connected.

The form of the shank may be varied, as desired, and still preserve the separable fea ture thereof.

The ears 0 turn in the guarded seat, when the said movable part of the shank operates, as set forth, and the said foot is thereby held in relative position at all times.

Having thus described myinvention, what I 5 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A link-button comprising two distinct buttons provided with shanks in the form of opening rings or loops, having an automatic closing action, and a connecting-link for said shanks, substantially as described.

2. A link-button for use with a companion button, having a looped or ring shaped shank formed of two parts, one of which is movably connected to a head and the other stationarily secured thereto, said movable part being movable backward from the stationary part and having an automatic closing action on the said stationary part, and a connectinglink, substantially as described.

3. A link-button for use with a companion button, having a shank in the form of a lap ring or loop, one partof which opens backward from the other and has an automatic closing action, and a link for engaging said shank, the said shank as an entirety being insertible through abutton-hole, substantially as described.

4. A link-button for use with a companion button, having a shank in the form of a ring or loop comprising a stationary part and a movable spring-actuated part having its free end overlapping the end of and adapted to be opened backward from said stationarypart, an d a link, the said shank as an entirety bein g insertible through a button-hole, substantially as described.

5. A link-button for use with a companion button, having a shank formed complete as a loop adapted to be opened and closed, one part of which opens backward from the other and has a projecting tongue, and a link, substantially as described.

6. A link-button for use with a companion button, having a spring-plate in the head thereof and a shank having a movable part engaging said plate, and a stationary part, said movable part opening backward from said stationary part, and a link, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. VILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. IIYER, SAMUEL KER. 

